7.09.10 – (LAA) – APFA National Treasurer Run-Off, MIA Vice Chairperson Eletion, Negotiations Update, AFA to Organize Delta

This is DFW Flight Attendant, Brenda McKenzie, with the Weekly HotLine Update for Friday, July 9, 2010.

APFA NATIONAL TREASURER RUN-OFF ELECTION

Ballots for the APFA National Treasurer run-off election were mailed on Saturday July 3, 2010. Polls for this election will close and ballots are due on Monday, August 2, 2010.

Candidates for APFA National Treasurer are Steven Baumert and Michael Parker. Information for these candidates is included in the voter packet and is available on the www.apfa.org website. Click here for the direct link.

MIA VICE CHAIRPERSON ELECTION

Ballots for the MIA Vice Chairperson election were mailed to all MIA based Flight Attendants on Tuesday, June 29, 2010. Ballots are due and polls will close at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 29, 2010.

Candidates for MIA Vice Chairperson are Michelle Bernstein and Terrence Kelly Williams. Information for both candidates is included in the voter packet and available on the www.apfa.org website. Click here for the direct link.

NEGOTIATIONS UPDATE

APFA President, Laura Glading continues to communicate with the National Mediation Board and will travel to Washington, D.C. next week to discuss and clarify where we stand in regard to our request to be released. APFA does not believe we will receive a decision from the NMB until the issues with the TWU contracts gets resolved which will not occur until August 24th.

U PICK IT!

It’s not too late to submit slogans for picket signs should AA push us to that step. Thanks to those of you who have already participated. We have received some great ideas!

What would YOU want to see on a potential Strike Picket Sign? Be creative and be spontaneous (but let’s keep it clean, please). The top slogans selected by members of your Negotiating Team will be voted on by the APFA membership to see who has the best Picket Sign idea(s). The top three winners will receive a framed copy of her/his Picket Sign.

To enter, send your idea(s) to [email protected] with the subject line ‘U PickIt! Submission. Please include your name, base and employee number. In the event of duplicate entries, the earliest submission will count.

IS YOUR MANAGER READY TO DO YOUR JOB?

American recently completed a “Train-the-Trainer” session in DFW for managers who will be training replacements to take Flight Attendant jobs in the event of a strike. Managers who choose to take part in these training programs will be turning their backs on the Flight Attendants they work with everyday. Volunteering to replace Flight Attendants will forever negatively impact these managersí relationships with their work groups.

APFA is very disappointed that AA has chosen to invest the time, energy and MONEY into training programs that would allow replacements to work as crew members in the event of a strike. It is interesting that the company would invest in these training programs rather than investing in their own employees by negotiating in good faith with APFA.

Please remember that there was not one single line qualified Flight Attendant Training Instructor (EPT Instructors) who participated in the “Train-the-Trainers” for replacement training instructors. Nor will they be participating in any replacement training program. The EPT Instructors are Flight Attendants and APFA Members, not management personnel.

It is without question that any person trained as a replacement would never and could never achieve the level of expertise obtained through our many years of experience. A quick “17 day training” program will never prepare a person to properly and appropriately handle the various issues, incidents and events that we, as experienced Flight Attendants, face each day on the line; such as medical emergencies, mechanical emergencies and security threats. APFA will continue to monitor the company actions regarding replacement training. The FAA is scrutinizing all aspects of the replacement training and the TSA will require full background checks on every person proposed as a replacement crew member.

TWU TENTATIVE AGREEMENT TO MEMBERS

On Monday, June 28th, the Transport Workers Union (TWU) at American asked the NMB for release from negotiations for their fleet and ground service workers. A press release from TWU states, “Unresolved issues that led to a suspension of the contract ratification process on a tentative agreement earlier this month have now led to a complete breakdown in contract talks.” One week later the TWU asked its13 local unions that represent fleet and ground service workers to schedule strike votes during July. Each local is to report the vote results to the International union no later than July 30th. As stated by Robert Gless, Deputy Director of TWUís Air Transport Division, “If our members authorize a strike, we believe that we could be granted release by the National Mediation Board as early as September.”

This week the TWU began sending the tentative agreement (TA) to mechanics, technical specialists and stock clerks. Ballots will be mailed to members on July 26 with two choices listed – to vote to accept the TA or vote to reject the TA and “authorize the negotiating team to take whatever action necessary up to and including a strike.î Results will be tallied on August 24th.

DOT AWARDS AMR RIGHT TO FLY BETWEEN JFK-HANEDA

American Airlines was awarded final approval on Tuesday, July 7th from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to operate daily, year-round, nonstop service between New Yorkís John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Tokyo International Airport at Haneda (HND). Haneda is the closest airport to downtown Tokyo and hasnít had service from the U.S. since 1978. American will serve the JFK-HND route starting January 20, 2011 with 247 seat Boeing 777 aircraft.

AFA TO ORGANIZE DELTA

The Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) is attempting to organize Delta Air Linesí approximate 21,000 Flight Attendants. Under the new ruling by the National Mediation Board an airline workgroup can win union representation with a majority of employees voting. The AFA wants the NMB to classify Delta and merger partner Northwest Airlines as a single carrier. That decision would trigger a representative election. The AFA already represents approximately 6,000 former Northwest Flight Attendants who merged with Delta in 2008.

“Democracy has prevailed,” said Patricia Friend, AFA-CWA International President. “For the first time, Flight Attendants will truly have their voices heard and their votes counted. For far too long, union elections in our industry have been overshadowed by management interference and voter suppression. Those days are over and we enter a new era. From this point on, union elections will be held to the same ideals and principles that our country was founded upon.”

HAVING A VOICE HAS NEVER BEEN MORE IMPORTANT FOR OUR UNION

APFA’s Government Affairs Department oversees our Political Action Committee. The Political Action Committee, or PAC, manages a bank account funded by voluntary donations from you, the membership. This account allows us to contribute to the campaigns of both Democrat and Republican candidates who support issues that are important to us. Large corporations have significant influence in Washington, D.C. because they have far more financial resources than APFA. We rely on your voluntary contributions and never use union dues to support political activities. By contributing even a small amount though a payroll deduction to our PAC, we have an opportunity to influence decision makers.

Over the years, safety, security, pay, and improved working conditions have typically been achieved through contract negotiations and legislation. For instance, Congress passed the Family Medical Leave Technical Correction Bill last year to correctly recognize the unique calculation used to determine crewmembersí eligibility for Family Leave. Another example: legislative action helped ban smoking from the airplane. This year, several key members of Congress have written to AA CEO Gerard Arpey on our behalf urging him to bring our contract negotiations to a fair and equitable conclusion. Finally, PAC funds are instrumental as we press Congress to recognize the aircraft as a workplace and ensure that it is governed by OSHAís occupational safety regulations in the FAA Reauthorization Bill.

I encourage everyone to go to the Government Affairs tab on the APFA website for more information about our PAC and how to contribute. If you have questions, feel free to contact APFA at [email protected].

CHICAGO RETIREMENT BRIEFING

APFA’s Retirement Specialist Patrick Hancock, along with Michael Moster, the Financial Advisor for the AA Credit Union Investment and Retirement Services, will be conducting their last July 2010 Retirement Briefing in Chicago. Mark your calendars for Tuesday, July 27 from 2 P.M. to 4 P.M. (1400 to 1600)

This session will be held in the Flight Service Conference Room across from the FYI Center, lower level K19.

Discussions include pension selections and retirement benefits, including insurance and travel. To get the most out of these helpful and popular seminars, print out and bring your personal pension estimate and plan calculation formulas from Jetnet. Flight Attendants from all bases are welcome to attend and no reservations are required.

MIND YOUR WALLET

Crewmembers are especially at risk for identity theft and credit card fraud as we use our cards around the world. Please be vigilant using your credit and debit cards and regularly monitor your account(s). Notify your card issuer immediately should you notice fraudulent or suspicious activity on the account.

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Remember there are 1,358 members on furlough and awaiting recall.
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The Wings Foundation is much more than can recycling, though that is an important source of the funds they distribute to members in need. If you are an active American Airlines Flight Attendant and you primary home has been destroyed, please contact WINGS Disaster Relief. Visit their website for fund raising activities, to find base representatives, forms for donation ($$$, PVDs, etc.), or applications for assistance. See how you can help at your base. Wings is formed and managed by AA Flight Attendants for AA Flight Attendants. Check out Wings and all our APFA supported organizations through these links:

Wings // Airline Ambassadors // UNICEF/Change for Good